Theme Parks

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 - Disney’s Epcot Center

We went to Epcot today and had a great time.  It is a gardeners’ paradise.  Love how they fashion the characters out of hedges!  Everything was in bloom and just perfectly trimmed.  There is probably no way to see all of the beautifully designed flower beds in one day.  The different countries had gardens themed to their national heritage as well.  So many talented hands at work there.

   

Anyway - we rode the Mission:  Space ride.  I had forgotten that I read reviews about this ride and they suggested not riding the Orange (Mission to Mars) ride early in the day because many people remain nauseated all day after the ride.  Thank goodness the line was shorter for the Green (Green Earth Mission) because we sat down and I realized what ride we were on.  So, the ride simulates a blast off and orbit around the earth.  I have to assume the Orange was much more intense, because neither of us were stressed by the G force of the take off or the flying around the earth.  It was really cool and the views from up there - impossible to describe!  I will have to try the Orange one day, just to see if it is as bad as they say.

We went around the World Showcase and ate a late lunch in Morocco.  This is the same place we ate so many years ago when we came with the kids.  The belly dancing was fun, but this year I thought I could teach her a thing or two since I am now a trained belly dancer - LOL.

Stayed late and found a great spot to watch the fireworks over the lake!

  

I don’t know why I was so surprised to hear so many different languages being spoken.  And there were an awful lot of people from England too.   We did spend quite a bit of time at the pub there in England, maybe that is why.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 - Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure

We went to Islands of Adventure and headed straight for Hogwarts.  We went through the Dr. Seuss section and it was so cute. Then through the Lost Continent - I don’t even know what that is supposed to be.  Finally, Hogwarts ahead.  I felt like a kid. You would be surprised how many adults were wearing robes and one guy was in a full blown costume.  He was probably 40. I almost mistook him for a park employee at one of the shops.  We waited in line for the  Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and I am sure it was a long wait, but they have you go into different parts of the castle and have little performances so it doesn’t seem that long. That ride was soooo much fun.  I actually lost my stomach several times.  Then we found Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and rode that.  Man, I do not think I have ever accelerated so quickly in my life. It was amazing.  I would have jumped right back in line if Dennis hadn’t been with me.  He has been so good though!  We rode the Hogwarts Express over to Diagon Alley and they have the Escape from Gringotts ride.  That one was not as exhilarating as the Forbidden Journey ride, but it was fun too.  There is even the dark arts shop of Knockturn Alley in a dark corner.  They have a their own beer here, Wizard’s Brew and Dragon Scale.  We tried the Dragon Scale and it was great! I think the Wizard’s Brew is a dark beer. Dennis may need to try that when we go back.

  

Friday, March 6, 2020 - Happy Birthday to my beautiful granddaughter, Presley Gillenwater.

We went back to Universal Studios and spent the day.  We rode several of the rides there, like the Transformers, Men in Black Alien Attack, the Revenge of the Mummy and Fast & Furious - Supercharged.  I just really like the atmosphere here and the crowds have not been bad at all.

Ran into a show by the Blues Brothers while there. It was a lot of fun.

  

The rides here are fun, but after riding Hagrids and the Forbidden Journey rides, these were just not up to the challenge.  We ate a late lunch at the Leaky Caldron.  It was delicious!

    

Met the neighbors for the evening around their fire pit and found out they are from Houston!  They have been traveling for about a year and a half and loving life.  Fun couple.

All in all another great day.

Sunday, March 8 - Happy Birthday to my bestie, Michelle Hobbs!

Got up this morning worried about the time changing overnight.  We are supposed to meet Nicki and Tim LaBarr and their kids back at the Islands of Adventure.  We got there a bit early and had to wait at the Bar outside Margaritaville, The Lone Palm.  Good people watching place!

As some of you know, Nicki is my cousin’s daughter.  We haven’t seen her since she was in high school and now she has three kids.  Great meeting her family for the first time!  What a beautiful family they are.  Although I didn’t take hardly any pictures I did get a shot of Truett and Wyatt casting spells with their wands.  Wyatt even let me borrow his to cast a spell myself - What a great kid!

We rode a couple more rides (or I did - Dennis sat out since I had others to ride with) and I enjoyed getting to know them better in the lines. The park was a little more crowded today so we cut it short and headed back shortly before 4:00.  We stopped in City Streets on the way out and had a snack at Bubba Gump Shrimp.  The waitresses there have Forrests Gump trivia questions they ask the guests.  We actually got all our questions correct!

When we got home, I remembered they had a Dustin Lynch concert tonight too and I had really wanted to stay for that.  Oh well.  I know Dennis has had enough of these crowded parks for this trip!

We have seen more women in their gym clothes at these parks.  I can almost guarantee not one of them was on their way to, or from, a gym.  Many had likely never been to a gym by the looks of it.  Is this the new pajamas to WalMart thing.  Can’t you just put some clothes on, please.  It is really not a good look for most people.  Dennis kept asking me, “Don’t these people look at a mirror before they leave the house?”  I guess the answer to that is, “NO!”

We have another week here in the Orlando area and not sure if we are just going to hang around the RV park and enjoy these amenities or continue being tourist.  I guess we will see.

Over and out for now good buddies.  I love and miss you all!